Stocks turn lower as unexpectedly large drop in home sales stirs worries about economy

NEW YORK — Stocks are turning lower as an unexpectedly large drop in home sales is dashing hopes that the economy is healing some its biggest wounds.

Existing home sales fall 3 percent in March; prices plunge 12 percent

WASHINGTON — First-time homebuyers looking for bargains snapped up about half of all homes sold last month, but the spring selling season is getting off to a lackluster start with sales falling more than expected from February levels.

Malaysian opposition, lawyers call for wider reform of Malay ownership rule

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia — Malaysian opposition lawmakers and lawyers Thursday called for wider reforms of a mandatory ethnic Malay ownership rule, after the government relaxed the decades-old affirmative action program.

REIT Vornado Realty projects lower 1st-qtr funds from operations; higher revenue

PARAMUS, N.J. — Vornado Realty Trust, which operates office and retail properties, estimates it will post lower funds from operations in the first quarter, but higher revenue.

REIT Vornado starts public offering of 15 million shares at $43 a share

PARAMUS, N.J. — Real estate investment trust Vornado Realty Trust, which operates office and retail properties, said Wednesday it began a public offering of 15 million common shares priced at $43 a share.

Cities tackle backyard pools that become green-shrouded mosquito havens in foreclosure

NEW ORLEANS — Mosquito control workers can measure the recession by the number of green, cloudy swimming pools they see — algae-covered havens for mosquitoes dotting neighborhoods hit by the foreclosure crisis.

Assisted-suicide group’s training manual provides detailed account of how it operated

PHOENIX — A training manual for an assisted-suicide group tells “exit guides” that they are special people and should celebrate their role in guiding others to their deaths.

Chesapeake CEO McClendon gets 2008 pay package valued at $112.5M, including $75M award

NEW YORK — Aubrey McClendon, the CEO of Chesapeake Energy Corp. who was forced to sell almost all his equity holdings in the company in October to cover a margin loan call, was given a huge incentive award at the end of 2008 that boosted his total compensation for the year to $112.5 million, according to an Associated Press analysis of data filed with regulators. That’s more than four times higher than his pay package a year earlier.

King family is charging fees over project to build memorial to the civil rights leader in DC

King family draws fees from DC memorial project

WASHINGTON — The family of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. has charged the foundation building a monument to the civil rights leader on the National Mall about $800,000 for the use of his words and image — an arrangement one leading scholar says King would have found offensive.